Audlem Lass Ferry Service

The Audlem Lass is a proper working narrowboat ferry that chugs across the Shropshire Union Canal near Nantwich, and it's one of those things you stumble upon by accident and think: how is this still going? The service has been running since 1975, ferrying foot passengers across the water where the towpath switches sides. You board a small electric boat, settle in amongst walkers and locals, and cross in about five minutes flat.

It's not a tourist attraction in the flashy sense - there's no visitor centre, no gift shop. What you get is authenticity. The boatman knows everyone. You'll see narrowboats moored up, anglers casting lines, and the quiet rhythms of canal life that most people miss entirely when they're whizzing past on the roads. Kids enjoy the novelty of being on water, though they'll be done in half an hour unless you're the type to linger with a packed lunch.

Walkers get the most out of this. It's brilliant for circular routes - you can cross here rather than backtrack miles to the next bridge. The canal towpath is excellent for strolling, and Nantwich itself is worth an explore for its timber-framed buildings and salt heritage.

If you're camping at Sunny Side Touring Park just up the road, or the more upmarket Marbury Camp & Lodge, this makes a proper afternoon diversion. Free or minimal cost to cross - confirmation worth checking when you arrive. Summer weekends are busier, but that's when the canal is at its liveliest anyway.